Internal-combustion-engine-starting mechanism.



J. H. BURTON.

INTERNAL GOMBUSTION ENGINE STARTING MEGHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNB15, 1912.

J. H. BURTON.

INTERNAL coMBUsTIoN ENGINE STARTING MECHANISM.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 15. Islz.

Patented 9b. 24, 1914.

z sHEETs-SHEET 2.

JOSEPH HAMPSON BURTON,

OF KINGSTON, NEW YORK.

INTER-NAL-COMBUSTION-ENGINE-STARTING MECHANISM.

roeasae.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2e, 1914.

Applicationiled .Tune 15, 1912. Serial No. 703,890.

To all fr0/0m it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JosnPr-I HAlyrrsoN BURTON, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Kingston, in the county of Ulster and State of N ewYork, have invented new and useful Improvements in Internal-CombustionEngine Starting Mechanism, of which the following is a specification.

rlhe invention has relation to starting mechanism for internalcombustion engines designed chiefly for operating craft and vehicles ofevery nature such as automobiles, flying machines, and motor boats sothat it is not necessary for the operator to leave his seat when it isrequired to start the engine.

rl`he invention is primarily designed for starting the engines ofautomobiles and is shown in this connection in the accompanyingdrawings, the mechanism being susceptible of a variety of changes whenadapting the invention to a particular type of engine, such changesbeing contemplated within the scope of the invention as defined in theappended claims.

The invention consists of the novel features, details of constructionand combination of parts, which hereinafter will be more particularlyset forth, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out inthe appended claims.

Referring to the drawings, forming a part of the specification, Figure lis a front View of a starting mechanism embodying the invention as itappears when applied to an automobile. Fig. 2 is a top plan view. F 3 isa side view, the full lines showing the starting crank raised and thedotted lines indicating the position of the starting crank when lowered.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription, and indicated in all the views of the drawings, by the samereference characters.

The numeral l designates the starting crank of an internal combustionengine and may be of any construction and arrangement. As is well knownthe starting crank when in operation has clutched engagement with theshaft of the engine but when the engine is running or is at rest thestarting crank is disconnected from the crank shaft of the engine. Inaccordance with the present invention the starting crank l normallyoccupies an elevated position when disconnected from the engine shaft.When the starting crank is in lowered position or hangs pendent it isautomatically brought into clutched engagement with the engine shaft bymeans of a spring 2 so that upon turning the crank the shaft of theengine is likewise rotated. The starting crank l has an extension 3which projects laterally so as to face a side of the machine when thestarting` crank is elevated. The extension may form a part of thestarting crank or may be separate therefrom and attached thereto. Whenthe invention is applied to origines already constructed or in use theextension 3 will be formed separately from the starting crank andclipped, bolted or secured in any manner thereto. By having theextension 3 projecting laterally from the starting crank when the latteris in elevated position there is a preponderance of weight to one sideof the starting crank which normally tends to move the starting crankinto lowered or pendent position, particularly when the means holdingthe starting crank elevated is relaxed.

The spring 2 may be of any construction and is attached to the machinein such a manner as to engage the starting crank when the latter is inlow-ered position so as to hold it in clutched engagement with theengine shaft so that upon moving the crank from the pendent positioninto the elevated position the shaft of the engine is turned to effect astarting of the engine in the manner well understood. The weight of thestarting crank and the extension thereof is usually sufficient to carrythe starting crank from t-he elevated position into the pendent positionand at the same time to engage the spring 2 to enable said spring tomove the starting crank inward to bring its jaw or clutch member intoengagement with the jaw or clutch member of the crank shaft. lV hen thestarting crank reaches a position about midway between its pendent andupright positions it begins to move outwardly to disengage the clutchelements so that when the starting crank is elevated it is completelydisengaged from the crank shaft with the clutch members clear of eachother.

A flexible connection 4, such as a cord, rope or chain, is attached atone end to the starting crank or the extension 3 thereof, the oppositeend of the flexible connection extending within convenient reach of thedrivers seat to be operated for moving the starting crank from a.pendent position into upright position when starting the engine. Thefiexible connection. ll may be operated in any manner and when theengine is running said flexible connection is held taut to fix theposition of the starting crank when elevated to hold it out of clutchedengagement with the crank shaft of the engine. For convenience theexible connection 4 is shown supplied with a handle 5 which is adaptedto engage a holder 6 to maintain the starting crank in elevatedposition. The flexible connection e passes over a guide pulley 7 whichis located at a point above the starting crank when elevated and to oneside of a line passing vertically through the crank shaft of the engine.The guide pulley 7 is located forwardly of a line passing verticallythrough the point of attachment of the flexible connection t with thestarting crank so as to hold the latter forwardly and prevent the clutchmembers from coming into contact. As shown a bracket 8 is bolted orotherwise secured to the frame of the machine and is strengthened bymeans of a front brace 9 and a rear brace l0, said braces being securedat their lower ends to the frame of the machine. The front brace 9 isutilized as a convenient means of support for the spring 2. rlhe spring2 has the part arranged to engage the crank transversely inclined toform a cam to move the crank inward to bring it in clutched engagementwith the crank shaft. This spring preferably consists of a light rod orbar which is connected at one end in any manner to the frame of themachine. By having the part 2 consisting of a spring it yields to enablethe crank to drop into a pendent position and exerts a pressure toinsure positive engagement of the clutch members.

. hould the starting crank be in upright position when. it is requiredto start the engine the connection L.t is relaxed, thereby admitting ofthe starting crank dropping into a pendent position and at the same timethrough the action of the spring 2 going into clutched engagement withthe crank shaft of the engine. A pull upon the flexible connection turnsthe starting crank and should the engine fail to start upon oneoperation of the starting crank the latter may be operated a number oftimes by alternately relaxing the flexible connection Ll and pullingthereon. Aft-er the engine has started, the flexible connection is madefast by engaging the handle 5 with the holder 6, thereby holding thecrank in elevated position with its clutch aw clear of the clutch jaw ofthe crank shaft.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, the advantages of the construction and of themethod of operation will be readily apparent to those skilled in the artto which the invention appertains, and while I have described theprinciple of operation of the invention, together with the device whichI now consider to be the best embodiment thereof, I desire to have itunderstood that the device shown is merely illustrative, and that suchchanges may be made when desired as are within the scope of the claimsappended hereto.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new, is

l. In starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, a startingcrank, operating means connected with the starting crank and extendingwithin convenient reach of the drivers seat, means for disengaging thestarting crank from the engine shaft during the nal movement of theoperating means when actuating the same to move the crank for startingthe engine, and a cam arranged to engage the starting crank when thelatter moves to operative position to throw it into lclutched engagementwith the crank shaft.

2. In starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, thecombination of a starting crank, a relatively lateral ext-ensionprojecting from the starting crank, a guide pulley located above andforwardly of the extremity of the lateral extension when the startingcrank is in vert-ical position, a exible connection attached to thelateral extension of the starting crank and passing over the said guidepulley and extending within convenient reach of the drivers seat, meansfor securing the Hexible connection to hold the starting crank elevated,and means for automatically throwing the starting crank into clutchedengagement with the crank shaft of the engine when said starting crankmoves from an upright position into a pendent position.

3. In starting mechanism for internal combustion engines, a startingcrank, operating means .connected with the starting crank and extendingwithin convenient reach of the drivers seat, means for disengaging thestarting crank from the engine shaft during the nal movement of theoperating means when actuating the same for moving the starting crankfor throwing the engine over, and a spring extending across the path ofthe starting crank and having the engaging portion relatively .inclinedto form a cam to move the starting crank to throw it into clutchedengagement with the crank shaft when such starting crank is moving intoan operative position.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JQSEPH IIAMPSGN BURTON.

Witnesses:

HENRY S. GULvnn, INA B. RATHBUBN.

Copies of this patent may De obtained for ve cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C.

